Opinions:

Austria is one of the founding members of the ESA, but at the central station in salzburg we have a new special regulation for a supermarket, open on sunday until 11.00 p.m.! They offer much more than food for the journey, it`s illegal in this form (the use over the approved 80m²) and against...

Recently founded ‘Sunday Alliance Switzerland’ joins the European Sunday Alliance!

Good news from Switzerland! On 13 June 2012 the Sunday Alliance Switzerland was founded. The Alliance for a work-free Sunday in Switzerland was initiated by the trade union Unia which is already a member of the ESA. Its members include various church organisations, trade unions (both Christian and non-Christian), women’s associations, political parties and medical organisations (specialising in occupational medicine).

The organisations stated at the press conference in June 2012 that Sunday “shall not be sacrificed for economic interests. It needs to be protected as the day of rest and of social gathering”. The Founding Statement and more information are available at: http://www.unia.ch/Sonntagsallianz.6305.0.html.

We wish the Sunday Alliance Switzerland every success in its work and welcome the Alliance as a new member of the European Sunday Alliance!

ITALY/ 17 September 2012

Confesercenti della Provincia di Allessandria is a Provincial Business organisation for commerce, tourism, services and crafts as well as small-medium sized businesses (SMB). It represents the interests of SMBs in the north-west Italian Province Alessandria. Founded in Rome in 1971, its national association is one of the leading business organisations in Italy. It represents over 270,000 businesses from commerce, tourism, services and crafts as well as from among small-medium sized businesses (SMB) of industry, capable of providing employment for over 800,000 people. Their common mission is to facilitate the work of SMBs through cooperation and capacity-building while stressing the contribution of the small- and medium scale companies for the Italian economy. Confesercenti della Provincia di Alessandria is already engaged as strong advocator for a work-free Sunday.

The Justitia et Pax Commission of the Croatian Bishops' Conference urges believers and all citizens of good will in the Republic of Croatia to participate in the widespread campaign of the European Sunday Alliance. The Commission urges Croatian citizens, especially Christians, to refrain as of that day from shopping on Sundays and, thus, at least show that they want to respect all those workers who, due to the weaknesses of Croatian legal safeguards, are subjected to pressure and forced to work without Sunday as a day of rest, remaining outside the circle of their families, loved ones and children.

From 17 to 23 May 2012, the Catholic social Academy Vienna organises a workshop for photographers on Sunday work. Accomodation and travel costs are covered by the Academy. Please register before 13 February at : gabriele.kienesberger@ksoe.at

The European Sunday Alliance calls on all members and supporters to take action on Sunday, 4 March 2012, as the EUROPEAN DAY FOR A WORK-FREE SUNDAY.

In times of financial and economic crisis when more and more social and employment rights are coming under pressure, the work-free Sunday is a clear and visible demonstration that the people and our societies are not dependent solely on work and the economy.

In its judgement (G 66/11-8) of 14 June 2012 the Austrian Constitutional Court confirmed that the prohibition on shop opening on Sundays and bank holidays is consistent with the Austrian constitution. The overall objectives of shop closing or opening hours are: the protection of the interests of consumers, the aims of the competition regime and the socio-political function. All of these objectives would be in the public interest, says the Court.

The National Court is Spain gave unions satisfaction. Supermarket employees will be entitled to at least five weekends off a year, regardless of the fact that their workload is divided over 4, 5 or 6 days a week. The National Court gave satisfaction to the CCOO and UGT unions against the sector's employers' organizations, which claimed that this right was reserved to 6 days a week. (Ref. 120408)

ANCI and the three Italian unions CGIL, CISL and UIL have decided to develop a permanent discussion table on the topic of liberalisations of working hours and openings of stores, norm included in the “Salva Italia” act, on which it is necessary to reflect and evaluate also in regard to possible effects and implication.